(no subject)

To Romsey this morning for the Hampshire Poppy Appeal launch. After the success of my Cockney Christmas CD on Tuesday, my mother urged me to select another disc from my collection for our listening delectation on the drive today. When we got in the Mayoral car and she saw the one I'd chosen - the 2001 Eurovision Song Contest - she did a double take.

Actually 2001 was a year of some very good songs (the reason I chose it) and they got the thumbs up from Peter. We just managed to hear my favourite, the French entry by Natasha St-Pier, in full before we arrived in Romsey and Peter turned the CD off to hear the sat-nav lady's final instructions - but we didn't get to the other one I love, Michelle from Germany :(

We began the morning with coffee at Romsey Town Hall. Nearly all the mayors and chairmen from Hampshire were there, along with lots of British Legion people and the special guest, David Gower. I shook hands with David and recalled watching him in his days playing for Hampshire, and we talked about cricket for a while, including the ball tampering controversy. David said he was a pundit for Sky now, and would be going to Australia this winter to cover the Ashes tour. It's a hard life for some...

Seeing the Lord Lieutenant in her Naval uniform talking to a group next to us, my mother asked if I'd shaken hands with her yet. I turned towards the Lord Lieutenant, then when she turned to face me I extended my hand, said "Hello, Mary," leaned in and gave her a quick hug and kiss, just like I do with all the female dignitaries we meet regularly. My mother seemed a bit astonished, but the Lord Lieutenant herself was perfectly happy and we had a little chat.

I rejoined my mother and we talked to Fred the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and Richard from Havant. As the subject of bonfire celebrations came up, Fred asked if we'd be coming to the Portsmouth Firework Display and we said we hadn't been invited. Fred promised to sort us out an invitation. Result!

We processed through the streets behind the British Legion standard-bearers and a pipe band, to Romsey Abbey. The service was brief and very nice, a hymn, the Last Post, two minutes' silence then Reveille, blessing of the poppies, a reading of 'In Flanders Field' and the National Anthem. We processed out to the town square, where we all stood in rows behind the Town Mayor of Romsey and the standard-bearers while planes flew over, the last one of which dropped a load of poppies over the square.

We finished with a buffet back at the Town Hall, including succulent pieces of lime and coriander-coated and lemon and garlic-coated chicken breast. I got a quick chat with Sue from Winchester, whose 10-year-old granddaughter Laura had accompanied her in the official party through the day's proceedings. I asked Sue "Is Laura liking being Mayoress for the day?" Sue said she was loving it, and was coming with her to a posh do in Soberton tonight. I asked how Laura was doing with her football; Sue said "If you want to talk to her about football, please do!"

We also met a lady from Lee-on-the-Solent British Legion who turned out to be the aunt of an old friend of the parents.

Back in the car for the drive home, Peter had also brought a CD - Andrea Bocelli. He said it was his chill-out music.